Back at it

This thing kind of got neglected with me in Korea and Maki God-knows where in research land other wise known as grad school. I intend to bring it back, now that I'm back in the great south (otherwise known as Atlanta, GA) and living in my parents' house until further notice. Comment with themes you want to see explored in poetry form or add your own poem.

New Month, New Theme: And You Thought Yours Were Bad

That's right folks, get your awkward on, as Maki likes to say. This month is all about the FIRST DATE. Whether you thought yours have been funny, clingy, desperate, heart-breaking, or just downright outrageous, everyone has a first date story (true or exaggerated, but exaggerated are probably better) hidden deep inside themselves waiting to get out. I've included a little trailer from my favorite awkward date movie courtesy of YouTube. Enjoy, and happy writing!

Someone Else's Childhood Memory

It’s not you; it’s me
I’m the one
That needs the work
Forgive me
I shall be myself in a few days

Climbing
Shouting
Anxiety
Bills
Cream

It’s all about the cream
That Damn cream
Everything doesn’t have to be about the whipped cream
Or does it?
Why can’t I have a normal life?

Waiting in line
For an oil change
Came across a little café
We were hungry
So we thought we would grab some lunch

I’ll have a salami sandwich on rye
He’ll have a bowl of your soup du jour
Why are you ordering for him miss?
I don’t know
Habit I guess

He would also like
Your crème burlee
With extra whipped cream
I do?
You always want the whipped cream

I do not
You do too
Can I just order my own damn meal?
You don’t love me anymore
You used to always let me take care of you

There were no kids
Just the car
That was broken
And the salami sandwich and soup du jour
And that whipped cream

Creamy chowder with biscuits
And tomato enchiladas with cheese
You should watch your cholesterol intake
I want you to be around with me until I die
Who says I wouldn’t?

Your diet says you wouldn’t
Says who?
Cheese? Whipped Cream?
You’re the one who ordered the whipped cream!
I was just trying to please you!

Can I get you anything else?
A beer?
A glass of wine?
Oh we don’t drink here
Says who?

I would like a drink
I would like a whiskey
The hard stuff
It’s the only way I’m going to tolerate
The rest of the afternoon

And the bill
For the car
God I don’t want to know how much that
Bill
Will be

New month, new theme

This month, bring out the big guns: CHILDHOOD MEMORIES.

It doesn't matter if yours were good or bad, and the more embarrassing the better. We always say our childhood is the best fuel for our writing, so bring it kiddos. We want to hear about your childhood, in poetry form. Just do it.

New Month, New Theme

That's right, ladies and gentlemen. The new month brings the new theme of...you guessed it, SEXUAL INNUENDO. I wouldn't have chosen it myself, but I guess that's beside the point. Something about this month being the month of love or something. Love? Sex? What's that? Unfamiliar and rather, if I might add, uncomfortable territory for this contributor to TPFTP, but I shall keep an open mind. I've always called February "because my life would suck without you" month and I have always recognized those that have given me what I have today. I don't think think of sex when I think of love and appreciation in that view, but I suppose it is time to branch out. For me, and for readers and writers of poetry alike. Get wraunchy! Get down, and get dirty! Ready, set, write horrible, sexual-innuendo laden poetry. And do it now.

I've resolved to have fun with life

No more judging
Or complaining

No more criticizing
Or doubting

I will paint more
And let the colors fly
My words will be more than just
Words

They will splashes of meaning
Across a canvas

They will let my true feelings
Emerge

Feelings no longer have a hiding place
Regret is out there for anyone (and everyone) to see

Cut and paste
Doodle
Even if nothing comes of it
Where I am right now
Is where I shall be
And I will be OK with that

I can be as new age-y as I feel like
And no one can stop me

New month, new year, new decade.

You know what that means! New theme here at Terrible Poetry for Terrible People. You've guessed it.



If you haven't read your email lately, or are a wonderful reader/audience member, the theme this month belongs to none other than NEW BEGINNINGS and NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS.

Which, as Alex says, is "obviously appropriate, given the time of year."

If you've never contributed anything, here's your chance. Or if you are a reader and would like permission to contribute, leave your email address in the comment and we'll get you added to the contributors list ASAP.

Also, I think it's time (as all new beginnings go) to get crackin' on our resolution to share some of our poetry out loud. I'll toss some ideas back and forth as to a gathering place, and we'll go from there.

Windy Dreams

The wind was blowing
My car had been towed
Or stolen
Whatever
It was missing

In my dream I was eating alone
In a Mexican restaurant
The waitress asked me what I wanted
When I asked for plain enchiladas
She said they had tomato and cheese

I said "OK"
She brought these little sliced zucchini
Warm and cooked
With melted cheese
It wasn’t until after eating them all, that I discovered the tortilla

ABC Poem: A Giraffe, an Elephant, and a Hippo

A giraffe went out one day
Before the skies got gray
Could not see the children
Drive their bikes away
Elephant wanted to be Giraffe's
Friend
Giraffe said to Elephant
Hippo is more like you anyway; Elephant replied:
I don't like Hippo; I want you to stay
Just then Hippo approached Elephant
Kindly, will you tell me why dear Elephant
Love yourself and love me too
Much I see myself in you
Never will I mope about
Other creatures look so stout
Privately, we dance and sing
Quietly, remarks about our weight do sting
Repulsed by other skinny folks, we pachyderms
Stoutly boast
Try being fat and leathery for a day
Usually we are quite gay
Very quickly Elephant realized his mistake
Wondered politely over Hippo's way
Xenophobia: it was in fact his flaw
You are truly beautiful; so am I
Zoos around the world will never be the same

Author's note: An ABC poem is one in which each line of the poem begins with the next chronological letter in the alphabet. Try it. It's much harder than it looks! Taking risks here, people.

New Month, New Theme

When you think of THE FUTURE, what comes to mind? For many of us here at Terrible Poetry for Terrible People, the future brings an overwhelming theme of uncertainty, questions, unanswered thoughts, themes, prayers, etc. What is the future, and what do you think it holds? What do you want it to hold? Why is it important? It's your vote and your words. THE FUTURE is yours, and yours alone. On your mark, get set, WRITE.